On A Standstill
by Satsuki Takahashi
Summary: When a mysterious murderer is on the loose... It takes a lot of emotions, dedication, honesty and words to be spoken, in order to solve the mysteries. Love Live Mystery and Crime AU! Warning, OOC might ensue and a lot of OCs, because I need them. Rated M for Sex, Crime and Violence. You have been warned. NozoEri, KotoUmi, NicoMaki.
1. x00x - Prologue

On A Standstill – x00x

A/N: Hi~! First of all, Happy Birthday, Nozomi! May your boobs grow bigger—and may you not need to chase Nico between parked cars again. On another hand, I apologize very much for **A Very Unusual Cat**. I'm having a writer's block right now, and I'm not sure how to proceed on with that story. But since Love Live is an on-going kind of thing… let's hope that it'll finish.

Meanwhile, this is a prologue to a slightly more serious story. I want to wrap up everything in 10 – 15 Chapters, and update as frequently as once or twice in a week, unless work kidnaps me and I can't write anything. LOL. I still do have things to write for work, but if I keep my μ's up, I should finish it! (Did you see what I did there *raises eyebrows up and down repeatedly*) Anyway, I really like Mystery/Crime themes, and I always write one for each fandom I've been in. SADLY ENOUGH, NONE OF THEM ARE FINISHED, so here's to wishing I finish this one!

*dogeza for the ultra-long A/N*

Enjoy the prologue! *writes 2k plus word prologue*

P.S. +10years to everyone's ages. Let's do this. ;D

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the love live characters, but the other derps (AKA OC) are mine. Also, beware of extreme OOC, maybe. I tried. Very hard. LOL **

* * *

Hands were comfortably put inside a lab gown. Dressed in flat slippers, a black pencil skirt, and a violet blouse, Toujou Nozomi slowly strode towards the front desk.

"Is Miss Tashima here?" she asked the desk clerk with a Kansai dialect accent. The desk clerk told her that she had arrived a few minutes early, but was currently on the phone with her husband.

As if on cue, the front doors of the Hibiya Hospital opened. There came in a sophisticated looking blonde in a ponytail, complete with blue eyes, black slacks, a white coat, and a turtle neck inner. She made eye contact with the violet haired doctor and headed her way without hesitation.

"Um, tell her to wait for me, okay?" Nozomi told the clerk, who nodded at her and seemed to have recognized the blonde female. "Are you okay?"

The blonde female extended her hand and Nozomi took it into her own. "Can't I just drop by because I wanted to see you?"

Nozomi frowned at her then looked at the clerk. She waved at her and made her way into her office. The blonde followed her, squeezing the violet haired female's hand. "You rarely do that."

"Sorry," the blonde apologized. They reached Nozomi's office, where the green-eyed female unlocked her office door. They went inside and she locked it. "Nozomi."

"Ericchi, tell me, what's wrong?" Eri only looked at her with an unreadable expression on her face. "Eri—mmphh."

Within a heartbeat, Eri grabbed her face softly and pressed their lips together. Without noticing, the kiss had gotten deeper, and Nozomi had been pushed back onto her room's couch.

"Ericchi—what—is-it?" However, the blonde didn't speak but frantically unhooked the pencil skirt and pulled it down to the floor. "Wait—Ericchi—" She then felt her knees buckle and her behind landed onto the softness of the couch.

Nozomi closed her eyes as her fingers gently stroked her on top of her underwear, her mouth caught in the fiery kiss of a predator. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but a moan came out instead while her last barrier of protection was shoved to the side and a finger stroked her bare.

"Eri—"

Sad blue eyes looked into Nozomi's own green ones, then she lost all the will to even stop her and decided to just enjoy. Eri kissed her jaw, then her collarbone. She rested her face on clothes-covered bosom, then proceeded southward towards her target.

She licked gently for a taste then proceeded with slowly devouring the sensitive spot. A probing finger slowly inserted itself. The blonde felt hands placed onto her head, encouraging her to do more. Unexpectedly, claws slowly dug into her scalp, and Nozomi shivered into an orgasm.

"That was unexpected," Eri said, the first words she had uttered ever since they entered the privacy of Nozomi's room.

Nozomi immediately blushed and looked at her, firmness on her face. "You don't just walk into the front doors of the hospital, get private with me, and push me down the couch. I haven't seen you in _two weeks_ and you call this unexpected."

Eri returned the blush and looked away. "I'm sorry."

The violet haired doctor looked at Eri's sullen and stained face. She picked up a tissue from her desk and wiped her face. She sighed and took a clean pair of underwear from her bag and replaced the one she was just using, folded it, put it into a plastic bag, and tucked it in her bag. She picked up her skirt from the floor and wore it again.

"Don't say sorry," Nozomi told her, sensing Eri's presence on the couch as she fixed herself. Completely giving up on her twin tails, she removed both hair ties and just let her hair flow naturally. "I don't want to hear you say sorry."

"But I'm—"

"I'm happy that you came to visit me. Although I am not very happy that I _came,_" Nozomi cut her off with a sly grin. She laughed heartily at the horror stricken face of the blue eyed blonde. "It's okay though. I've been lonely."

"So—"

"What did I say?"

Eri looked away. "Um, yeah."

"So, what's the matter?" Nozomi walked towards her and stood in front of Eri. She put a free hand on Eri's head and continuously patted it. "Ericchi."

Slowly, Eri cradled her face with both of her hands, elbows resting on her knees. "I…" She swallowed. "I wasn't able to save any of them…"

Nozomi frowned and removed Eri's hair tie to be able to caress flaxen strands in her hand. "You did your best—"

"If only the superiors believed me earlier, we could have—"

"Ericchi—"

"I couldn't save them—"

"It was all you could do."

"I wish I had more power."

Nozomi crouched in front of Eri and grabbed both of her cheeks. "If you had more power, would I have met you like this?"

"But—"

"But if I had more power, I could prevent all these deaths," Nozomi finished for her. She kissed her forehead. "I know. We don't know why there are people as twisted as these criminals, but it's your existence to slowly diminish them and save the world, right?"

"Are you using your psychology powers on me again?" Eri wryly grinned at her.

"No, I'm not," Nozomi answered with a wink. "I'm just saying things, from one heart connected to yours."

Eri blushed and nodded. Nozomi gave her a peck on the lips and stood up. She wrapped her arms around the blonde's head and pressed her face into her breasts.

Ayase Eri wrapped her arms around Nozomi's waist and sighed. Nozomi said, "Now, I need to leave for a few minutes. I need to talk to someone."

"Sorry about that." Eri parted from the hug, then a forefinger was pressed onto her lips.

"Enough about that already, okay? Now have some rest. You look like you haven't slept in days." The violet haired psychologist winked at her. "Wouldn't want my favorite detective to be tired when we pick up the problem she started when she walked into my room later."

Then she walked away. Eri looked at the closed door and her blush slowly crept up to her face. "Nozomi, you idiot."

Where there's an outlet for overflowing love.

* * *

A knocking sound came from the door, and a grey haired female with a chicken-like hairdo turned around to look.

"Ah, Umi-chan," she spoke and let the blue long haired female enter her room. Then, she closed the door behind her. "What's up?"

Complete in slacks, white inner shirt, and a black jacket over it, she sat on a nearby chair and looked at what seemed to be a table for dissection.

Umi started making different hand motions, only to settle with, "Oh, I just wanted to, um, visit."

The grey haired female tilted her head to one side and smiled. "I see."

"Kotori, I—"

"If you don't mind being at the place where dead bodies get an autopsy, it's okay," she spoke with a smile. "Where's Eri-chan?"

"She went to visit Nozomi," Umi answered with a sigh.

"_And that's why you're here._" Kotori thought, an unexplainable feeling crushing her heart as if it was being wrung. "I see. The investigation ended?"

"Yeah. It wasn't… very happy," Umi answered with a wry smile. _"And that's why I'm here. I can only feel calm here, when I'm with you."_

"I see," Kotori answered in a deadpan voice. "I still have two hours to stay. Is it okay?"

"Don't worry about me," Umi told her with a smile. Kotori nodded and smiled at her.

Where feelings remain parallel.

* * *

A twin-tailed female sat at the bar, too close for the bartender's comfort. She ordered for a shot of tequila sunrise, and the violet eyed bartender only looked at her in the eye and made her drink.

After throwing in a calculated mixture of tequila, grenadine, orange juice, and some brandy, she pushed the cocktail towards the lab-wearing black haired twin-tailed female.

She glared at her glass and played with the rim of it by repeatedly hitting it with her nail.

"Don't they have height requirements for dentistry or something?" the redheaded barista said with animosity.

"Don't they give attitude tests to bartenders here? I thought you were supposed to be good at dealing with people," the black haired female replied without even looking at her.

"_I'm only aggressive towards you because I worry for whatever is on your mind. Not like I'm telling you that, idiot."_ the red head thought and continued to clean empty glasses at her bar.

"_I'm only here because the only beautiful person I see every day is you. Like hell you'll know about that."_ The twin-tailed female grabbed her nonstop vibrating phone and looked at her messages. Her eyes widened, and she gritted her teeth. She took out a wad of bills from her wallet and left it on the counter with her drink untouched.

"Wha—hey!"

"Keep it," the black haired female said. "Take everything. I need to go."

The bartender put the recently wiped glass on the counter and picked up a few strands of her shoulder length hair and played with the tips with her index finger and thumb.

"… Whatever." She took the money and put it in the counter, intending to return it tomorrow. "…Whatever, Nico-chan…" She drank the tequila sunrise shot straight and dumped the empty shot glass in the sink before walking back.

Where feelings are real, but there was dishonesty.

* * *

"Honoka-chan, can you give this to Eri-chan when you see her?" A brown haired female wearing glasses and the standard police uniform handed an envelope to an orange haired female wearing a "Forensics" Uniform.

"Hm? Don't you see Eri-chan more frequently than I do? Being in the same crime unit and all," the orange haired female, Honoka, answered as she took a bite out of her bread. "Like usual, bread is delicious!"

"Well…" Hanayo then looked behind her where a short orange haired female just put on her white coat.

"There's been a call-nya~" the female said. "Is what I would say. I wish it was a celebratory party, but it's a new murder."

"…?"

"Same method, Honoka-chan. Same method," Hanayo answered, fixing her glasses. "Rin-chan, here." She handed the short haired female car keys. "Umi-chan and Eri-chan should be at the hospital."

"Got it," Rin answered with a cat-like grin and exited the MPD.

Honoka swallowed whole the rest of her bread and ran towards the forensics dispatch department. _"… But he was caught already!" _

And thus, things remained in a standstill.

(Prologue/END)

* * *

A/N: It was an Intro Sexuation -/slapped


	2. x01x - Keep Your Paws Crossed

On A Standstill – x01x– Keep Your Paws Crossed  
A/N: Hi! I seem to have apparently raised the expectations for this story. Thanks for all the encouraging words! Although more reviews would make me update faster-er. Haha! Well, reviews make everyone update faster, don't they? Also, I have this knack for writing nice prologues because I'm a short story kind of person, so… yeah. Since this is my first LL!AU please be gentle, okay? *grins*

**_Anyway, HERE IS THE UPDATE EVERYONE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED ON. *-nuked*_**

* * *

"Umi-chan, Kotori-chan!" Honoka immediately popped her head inside the forensics room. "Whatchu two doin' here?"

Kotori only looked at her, mouth open. "I should be asking you that. You also have breadcrumbs on your cheek." She picked up a tissue from her table, walked over to the orange haired female and removed the crumbs.

Umi sighed and stood up from her chair. "I can't believe you actually graduated from forensics school."

"Don't be so mean to me! They like my keen eyes, sharp ears and skillful smelling skills!" Honoka scratched the back of her head like an embarrassed person would.

Kotori and Umi looked at each other. _"Are you a dog?"_ they seemed to have thought at the same time.

"So, what is it?" Umi asked. She noticed that Honoka's posture turned rigid, and her eyes became crystal clear and serious.

"We just got a call, same case," she explained. "This is why I've got to go now! Cause the car is leaving. See ya!"

"Wait!"

"Just inform Eri-cha—" Honoka looked around. "The senior detective!" Then she made a run out the door.

Forensic pathologist, Minami Kotori, felt a tug at the corner of her heart but managed a smile. "You better go and tell Eri-chan then."

"I think I'll just deal with this for now. Eri needs some reason. She hasn't slept for days now," Umi answered and fixed her clothes. "Will you be okay here?"

"Don't worry about me. This is my lair," Kotori answered, waving her hand left and right. "Take care."

Umi turned to look at her and smiled. "I will. Like always."

"… Like always," Kotori whispered to herself and watched the door close. "… Sometimes I don't like saying those words… 'Take care,' huh?"

* * *

Nozomi rubbed her temple and leaned on the reception table. _"I feel so uncomfortable. Ericchi, you big dummy."_

"Are you alright, Toujou-san?" the front desk clerk asked her. "Is Ayase-san okay?"

"She's fine," Nozomi answered with a grin. _"And I won't be."_

She looked at her wristwatch and sighed at the twenty minutes more that she needed to stay in the hospital to complete her hours. Immediately, the front doors opened and a group of people rushed in with a stretcher and a body on top of it. Her eyes widened at a familiar twin-tailed female running along with the stretcher.

"Nicocchi!" Nozomi ran for the black haired female. "What are you doing here?"

"I was called in as an acquaintance of that person in the stretcher," Nico answered with a serious expression. She looked for the reception chairs and sat on one. "Seriously, I just wanted to rest."

"Yeah, sit in silence with Maki-chan or however you spend your Friday evenings," Nozomi answered with a smirk.

"Wha—" Nico's red eyes narrowed at her, then she sighed. She crossed her legs like a man would without giving a mind with the world since she was wearing jeans. "I got called here because this person seemed to have gone to my clinic before he died."

"Afraid they'll add you to the suspects' list?" Nozomi asked her with curiosity.

"They can't easily do that to a person with a police license," Nico answered.

Green eyes narrowed. "Then what are you doing here?"

"They're not allowing me to do the usual dental and bone reading. I came here to ask you and Kotori to help me," Nico answered with a sigh.

"So they **are** accusing you," Nozomi answered.

"I never denied it," she answered and sighed. "So, where's Eri?"

"Why do you ask?"

"She's usually here, isn't she?" Nico turned to face her, red eyes glinting playfully. "You're awfully defensive today."

"I am _not _defensive," Nozomi answered and moved her not-tied hair over one shoulder. "In any case, Kotori and I will do it for you."

Nico looked at her sideways then nodded. "Thanks."

* * *

Rin stood beside the caution tapes, her thumb and forefinger under her chin. "It seems to be… a murder!"

"Rin-chan, you're stating the obvious here," Hanayo told her with a wry grin.

"Sorry, I just wanted to try it." She smiled and scratched her head. "Anyhow, back to work with evidence gathering. Where's Umi-chan and Eri-chan?"

"Honoka-chan called them already, so let's just wait and not ruin the crime scene, okay?" Hanayo looked behind her after hearing a car door close. "Honoka-chan!"

The orange haired female came into the crime scene with her hair tied into a bun with a cap over it. She had a facemask over her mouth and a camera hung around her neck. She waved at the two rank 1 detectives who smiled at her.

"Hope you haven't touched anything here yet?" Another female with mini bangs came in wearing the same outfit with a bag slung onto one shoulder. "Hoshizora-san and Koizumi-san, right?"

"Correct! Kira-san, right? Nice to finally meet you!" Rin gave her a salute and asked for permission to go within perimeters of the crime scene.

"Where's the detective in charge?" Kira Tsubasa, the head of forensics, asked. She rarely came out to investigate a crime scene herself, but since the case of the "Meadow Killer" had been stretched out for so long, this time she decided to show up herself.

"Detective Ayase and Detective Sonoda are not here yet. As of the moment, the highest ranking detective within perimeter is me," Rin answered with a smile. "And Hanayo-chan."

"Alright. Come with me to the scene then. The higher ones can investigate for themselves later." She looked behind her. "Honoka, are you done with the photos of the location yet?"

"Coming, Tsubasa-san!" She met the glaring eyes of a superior and swallowed. "Kira-san."

* * *

"Nozomi-chan!" Kotori ran towards the violet haired female. "What happened to your hair?"

"Um, lots of things," Nozomi answered. _"Stupid Ericchi." _She sighed. "My hair aside, why are you here?"

"I got called for an autopsy. You're here for the crime profiling, right?" The green eyed female nodded at the question. "Where's Nico-chan?"

"There are… circumstances involving her. She's not allowed to participate in the case," Nozomi answered and gave her a wry smile. "Anyway, let's start, okay?"

The two females entered the cold room where dead bodies were usually brought in for autopsy. They walked towards the only operating table with a cloth covering it. Without hesitation, they removed the cloth and read the initial investigation file on the victim.

"Kotori-chan, tell me I'm sleepy."

"You're sleepy."

"Well, I'm not," Nozomi answered and wrote down the name on her clip pad.

_Hoshizora Kenji_.

* * *

"Hi, I'm looking for Dr. Toujou Nozomi," a blue, long haired female with yellow eyes inquired at the front desk.

"I'm sorry, she's occupied right now. Would you like to leave a message?" the desk clerk answered. The female shook her head and turned to leave.

"Umi?"

"Eri?"

"What are you doing here?" Eri asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I was just looking for Nozomi. Are you looking for her too?"

"No, I'm looking for you," Umi said, her voice deep and her expression rigid. "There's a new one…"

"Same?"

"Same."

Eri scratched her head. She knew that things wouldn't have been as easy as that. "Let's go."

"Are you sure you won't tell Nozomi first?" Umi asked.

"I…" Eri closed her eyes and balled her fist. "She'll… she'll understand."

Umi nodded and the two of them left the hospital.

Although understanding has its limits too.

(Keep Your Paws Crossed/END)

* * *

A/N: Sorry, Maki-chan didn't appear at all! Because she's very important next chapter! Until next~! Also please review! They make me update faster. *hart hart*


	3. x02x - And Your Other Paws Close to Your

On A Standstill – x02x– And Your Other Paws Close to Your Heart  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They are always appreciated and the more the merrier—manier—the manli—wait what. ALSO, ALL THESE EXPECTATIONS, HOW AM I GONNA FEEL. I will feel very bad if I don't meet expectations *crey*. Anyhow, before I start the chapter, I'll answer some reviews first!

arrahal92: Hi! I thought I was able to lay down everyone's occupation well. I was thinking of slowly revealing them, but, I guess giving a little description won't hurt, right? ;) Note that these are not final, and I'm only clarifying what I have so far. So, read well and more info will be added in the story itself!

Maki – is yes, a bartender.  
Nico – is a dentist, with a police license to conduct bone structure investigations, similar to forensic pathology.  
Nozomi – is a psychologist. She works in the police hospital and for the police.  
Honoka – is a forensics photographer, also someone in charge of preserving the crime scene.  
Tsubasa – is a forensic scientist, someone who studies the evidences found in the crime scene.  
Umi – is Eri's Partner, she's a detective lieutenant.  
Eri – is a police inspector/investigator.  
Rin – is a detective sergeant under Eri.  
Hanayo – is a detective sergeant under Eri.  
Kotori – is a forensic pathologist/medical examiner. She works for the police exclusively.

I hope that's all clear now!

SkullChaser09: Hi! Also, yes, Kira Tsubasa, as in A-RISE. ;) Also, I'm not also very good with blood and gore, but in order to become a well-written detective/crime story, I need to explain a lot of things in detail! But don't worry! I'll make sure to put a warning if the following content becomes too graphic that most people wouldn't be comfortable with it, so please rest assured!

Anyhow, with all the questions that have piqued my attention answered, let's go off to the story?

**Disclaimers: Applies forever, and I will throw in different dates (with no years, because I can) because we need that to determine time of date, and alibis and shit stuff. **

Also, I make quality long A/Ns.

* * *

"Hoshizora," Ayase Eri called for her subordinate. She took a paper from her desk and stood up. "Come with me." Rin nodded at her and stood up from her desk inside the Special Crimes Investigation Unit office and walked with her head officer.

"Yes, what is it?" Rin asked as the two of them talked in an isolated room at the back of the office. Eri handed her the paper.

"It's an autopsy report that came to my desk this morning." Eri sighed and gave her a wry smile. "In most cases, this is taboo, but if you can do it rationally, I want to make sure that you're going to be able to handle this case."

Rin tilted her head to one side and read the header for the autopsy report. "… Big brother…" She immediately looked sullen but straightened her expression. "I… I'll be fine… Eri-chan."

"Good, let's get started." She smiled at her and tapped her shoulder. "But be mindful. If I notice one bit of hesitation, I am taking you off the case, understand?"

"Yes, sir!" She saluted and immediately went back into the office. Eri clapped her hands and asked the rest of the members to assemble in the middle of the room where the touch screen projector was in.

She motioned to the touch screen and it brought up a photo of the victim, a man with shoulder length hair whose resemblance to Rin was too close. "The victim's name is Hoshizora Kenjiro, 34 years old. He was engaged to Tanba Shizuka, 29 years old. The call came in at 11:04PM. The landlady said that the victim asked to be rung at around this time for his monthly rent." Eri tapped the touch screen. "Kotori, please proceed." Kotori nodded, gracing the officers in her lab coat, blue-green-ish knee high skirt, and a white pleated blouse with a green ribbon.

Kotori tapped the screen and it showed multiple photos of the body of the victim: a full body-shot, a half body-shot, and a full shot of the victim's neck. "He died of strangulation with rope two days ago, Tuesday at 9:04PM in his home. The initial investigation was pointing towards a suicide." She tapped the screen and it showed the photo of the crime scene.

It was a simple white walled room with a thin blue curtain on the window. Below it was the victim's bed, pressed closely to the side. It was a bed that perfectly fit the length of the room's dimensions with only one spot to get on and get out from. The bed was in chaos, the covers thrown from one side to another. Beside it on the floor was a knee-high table with a few bottles of liquor and three glasses on the table.

"He hung himself on this side." Kotori pointed on top of a bookshelf beside the bed's head side where there was a metal pipe. "And that side." She pointed towards another metal pipe on the other side of the room. "He seemed to have used a small stool, but this is nowhere to be found."

She double tapped on the screen as it zoomed in towards one small side of the white wall. It showed three uneven vertical lines and the numbers 09 under it. "However, the victim died of strangulation from rope. We found blood marks on the crime scene that belonged to the victim. He had a cut on his right forefinger." She tapped the screen as it showed a close up shot of the cut. "It seems to have been deliberately sliced to purposely write this mark. However, we couldn't find any fingerprints."

"I had her analyze the glasses on the table as well. I found it odd how there were three of them on the table, but none of them had any DNA on it," Eri explained returning the photos on the screen back to the crime scene. "The table, the bottle, the glasses… there weren't any fingerprints anywhere. If this was suicide, at least the victim's fingerprints should be on the things that he would have had touched."

Kotori nodded. "However, there was only 1.5% of alcohol in the victim's blood stream. It's not an amount that would make a person make incoherent decisions. We suspect that someone else may have been with him."

"Any information on the last people he made contact with?" Umi asked while taking notes.

"We do, we only have one," Eri answered this time. "It's Yazawa Nico. She's coming here later in the morning for voluntary questioning.

"Umi, Kotori, go to the scene of the crime. See if you can find something that could give us a lead. Rin, Hanayo, question the victim's neighbors and the people around the Yazawa dental clinic. I'll stay here and question Nico with Nozomi. I'll also contact the fiancée and talk to her." She clapped her hands and closed the touch screen projector close.

* * *

The doorbell chimed, signaling a customer. A female wearing a blue-checkered button up blouse walked in. She had long straight black hair, and she wore jeans with sneakers.

Maki looked at her and narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing here? We're not open yet." She looked at the wall clock; it was 3:52PM.

"Your grandpa let me in," the black haired female answered and sat by the bar, too close for the bartender's comfort. "A shot of margarita, please."

"You're surprisingly normal today." Maki narrowed her eyes at her and started to prepare the drink. In a few moments she had a shot of margarita and slid it up towards the female's side of the table. "You always order shots, pay for them, but never drink them."

"I just like the feeling of seeing them, smelling them, and touching a shot glass." Her red eyes looked at the ice swirling in with her shot. "It's some sort of comfort. And I'm not really in the mood for needless bantering today."

"Good. More peace for me," Maki answered and continued to clean the remaining glasses on the counter. "Why are you here?"

"_Just to see something pretty."_ Nico sighed and stirred her glass. "Just trying to relax." Her red eyes looked into violet orbs. "I really should have retired from all this."

Maki looked into her red eyes but immediately looked away. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself closing it as silence engulfed them with only the sound of the ice clinking with the glass from the drink that was being stirred.

"Shouldn't you still be in the clinic today?" Maki asked silently.

"I'm suspended," Nico answered immediately and brought the glass near her lips. "So I don't have work." She turned to look at the clock and didn't notice the time fly by as it was already half an hour before 5.

"I think—"

"I'll go now. I still need to show up for my voluntary questioning." She put back the glass onto the table without even taking a single sip. She slipped a bill under the glass and stood up from her seat. "See ya."

Maki looked at the untouched glass of margarita and the bill again. She sighed and drank the shot again and started to clean the glass. "At least notice that I've been giving you the same shot glass all this time, you idiot." She wiped the bottom of the glass with an engraved cat face on it and set it under the counter.

She removed her apron and grabbed her phone from her black slacks. "Yeah?"

"Are you out today?"

"I am going out," she answered and walked towards the back room. "What is it?"

"Was Nico there?"

"She just left," Maki answered. "Did you need something from her?"

"I need you to follow her."

"I don't think I understand you very well." Maki raised an eyebrow. "Why follow her?"

"She's being suspected of murder. If we don't find anyone else, the higher ups might get alarmed of her involvement and try to take her down."

"Tell me more about this murder."

"It happened Tuesday, 9PM."

"She was with me that day." Maki narrowed her eyes. "I can vouch as an alibi for her." She started fixing her things.

"Why were you with her?"

"I'd rather not talk about it, Eri."

* * *

Umi carefully stepped inside the crime scene with gloves, a mask on, and her hair in ponytail. Kotori followed her all the same.

"Did you come here earlier?" Umi asked, looking around the place. She walked towards the bookshelf.

"Hm-mhm. I was called to the hospital to do an autopsy report on his body. Honoka-chan was with you, right? So a different squad might have taken the photos and inspected the room," Kotori spoke and kneeled beside the bed. "So he must be sitting here as he drank."

"But why put out three glasses?" Umi asked and took out one book from the shelf. "His shelf is filled with fictional books and occasional magazines about weddings. He was getting married after all."

Kotori nodded and stood up from the spot she was kneeling on. She looked over at the bed and noticed a crack on the wooden headboard of the bed. "Say, Umi-chan, where do they usually buy these kinds of beds?"

"Aren't they usually sold in bulk? Known to be a very sturdy brand," Umi answered without looking at Kotori's direction. "Why?"

"With the evidence submitted to us, I don't think they noticed this, did they?" Kotori pointed at the headboard. "It's quite large, probably of a man's hand?"

"I agree." Umi nodded and inspected the crack. "He must be strong to make a dent on it."

"Unless he was struggling for something to hold on to," Kotori said and looked at her. "Umi-chan, can you lie down here?"

The blue-haired female raised an eyebrow and walked towards the bed. She sat on the side and laid down diagonally, her head near the headboard. "Like this?"

"Un, like that. Then, can you pretend to grab at the crack?" Kotori instructed and watched Umi do so. "It's one sided… can you grab part of the side of the bed then?"

"I can't. It's not reachable," Umi said. Her eyes widened when she felt a different weight on the bed. She looked down and noticed Kotori on top of her, knees on either side of her waist. "Ko- Kotori?"

Kotori blushed and looked at her then pretended to choke Umi-chan. "Can you reach anything now?"

Umi thought of how it would rationally go and flailed her arm only to accidentally hit her nail onto the railing of the window. "This! It's this!" She suddenly bolted up, almost bumping her face onto Kotori's chest, who placed her arms on her shoulders because of her sudden movement. "Sor- Sorry."

"It's okay," Kotori replied and climbed off her and the bed. She crawled over the bed and removed the window. She found a blood mark near the window's side. "I'll take this. Let's look around more for anything else."

Umi nodded and kneeled by the bed and looked at the bottom of the bed. She randomly ran her hand through the space at the bottom and seemed to have reached something. She picked it up and looked at the object in her hand.

"Say, does the victim smoke?"

* * *

"Ah~! Excuse me!" Rin ran towards an old lady. "Do you often pass by this street?" She looked at the length of the familiar street near her brother's apartment.

"Yes, I live by that house." The lady pointed at a room right across her brother's room. "May I help you?"

Rin fetched her police badge from her chest pocket and showed it to the lady. "Do you know Hoshizora Kenjiro-san?" she asked while taking out her notepad.

"I do. He's a really kind and good man," the lady answered with affection. "I heard he committed suicide. That is very saddening."

"It is." Rin nodded with a frown. "Do you know of anyone who regularly visits him? Like last Tuesday, for example."

"Let's see… I only see the pretty lady go in with him most of the time during the week." She tapped her jaw as she started thinking. "I do think that she might have been with him last Tuesday or Monday. I'm sorry, Officer. I cannot remember well."

"Its okay, ma'am. It was helpful." Rin nodded and smiled and scribbled a few notes and then looked for someone else to ask.

"Rin-chan." Hanayo waved at her from a block away after using the earpiece communicator. "Come here."

Rin looked around a little more and nodded. She quickly walked towards Hanayo's location and looked at the young man she was talking to. "What is it?"

"Please describe the person you said again," Hanayo spoke and took out a small sketchpad.

"He was with this man, he was tall, about 5'10". He had naturally curly black hair, like about up to his shoulders. He was wearing a baggy shirt and baggy pants. He stood right there." The young man pointed at the light post in front of the victim's apartment. "I remembered him well because

was really scary. It was around 8 in the evening."

Hanayo finished her rough sketch. "Can you describe him more?"

"His hair was all over the place so I couldn't get a good look at his face, but his eyes were really scary. They were kinda red," he explained. "Anyway, he was scary! I thought he was a ghost!"

"Thanks, you were helpful," Rin said with affirmation to the young man who nodded and walked away. "I can't sketch it well, but I think that was precise enough. Do you think any buildings have a security camera that can verify that this man really was standing there last Tuesday?"

"Well, I can search for one and hack into it—"

"Hanayo-chan, you're a real police officer now."

"Oops." She laughed and fixed her eyeglasses into place. "Let's go ask around then."

* * *

Inside the questioning room was cold. It had only one metallic table and two metallic chairs facing each other. Behind one of the chairs was a black glass that led to another room where recording machines were situated. This was also the place where other police officers could oversee how the questioning was going.

"Can't believe I'd see you sitting there," Nozomi said with a frown, wearing a deep blue skirt suit that accentuated her figure. "You know the procedure more than anyone. Start talking."

Nico sighed and crossed her arms in front of her. "This Kenjiro-someone had an appointment with me at 3 in the afternoon, but he texted around 2 hours earlier that he'd be late and would like to reschedule it at 6PM. I didn't have any appointments in that time slot so I agreed. He went into my clinic at exactly 6PM. He was always punctual."

"Did you notice anything odd?"

"I didn't. He was his usual cheerful self," Nico answered as a matter of fact. "Oh, he was with his girlfriend or fiancée or whatever."

Nozomi looked at her in surprise. She turned to look at the black mirror behind her and motioned for someone there to go into the questioning room.

The door to Nozomi's right opened and Eri went inside the questioning room. "I sure hope you heard that and that you weren't busy staring at someone's ass or something," Nico said with a smirk and almost laughed when Eri blushed. "Work and pleasure, I like that."

Eri coughed. "He was with his fiancée. Can you retrace exactly what went on in your clinic from when he walked to your door up until he closed it behind him?"

Nico frowned. "Well, he got a call," she said. "About two or three times. It was noticeable because I had to stop filling his teeth."

Eri nodded and immediately went outside the room.

"Okay. To the more juicy parts then." Nozomi sat on the chair. "Where were you on the evening of Tuesday? Specifically around 8 to 10 in the evening."

Nico scowled at her and looked away. "I was out."

"Where were you?"

"I was in a hotel."

"Can someone confirm this alibi for you?"

"No one. I just felt like not going home to my own house for the mean time."

"Nicocchi. I'm right here because I'm good at what I do," Nozomi explained. She looked at Nico's face and noticed her expression. She wasn't angrily scowling like she usually was. She looked… normal, a face of someone protecting someone. "Which hotel was it?"

"Crimson Hotel," she spoke.

"That's the good girl I know," Nozomi said with a wink. "Also, everything wasn't recorded. Go have a sigh. But you have to stay here until we confirm your alibi."

"Thanks for everything."

"That's twice in a row. Is the world gonna end or something?"

"Go die in a pit."

* * *

"Hello, Umi?" Eri spoke in her phone. "Are you still at the crime scene?"

"Yes, we found—"

"Look for the victim's phone," Eri commanded. "We might find the people the victim was with on the day he died."

(And Your Other Paws Close to Your Heart/END)

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took me long! Look at all this information. *drowns* The crime will be wrapped up next chapter! Please review and comment! o/


	4. x03x – And Then Open Your Hands

On A Standstill – x03x– And Then Open Your Hands.

A/N: Thank you very much for all of the reviews! Apologies for the late update from the promised dates, days, time. My PR got kidnapped by school (literally); meanwhile my µ's died for this story, because I was too lazy to update long stuff then. Anyway, here's the conclusion to the first case! But, but, but! We're far from the end! Ah~ NicoMaki's relationship makes me really curious~ you too, right?

**Disclaimers: Applies forever, and I will throw in different dates (with no years, because I can) because we need that to determine time of date, and alibis and shit stuff. **

**Note: This work has not undergo proofreading yet, if there are any mistakes, please overlook it and enjoy the chapter. I will replace this chapter with a PR'd version soon enough with the next chapter. Thank you!**

* * *

Hoshizora Kenjiro ruffled his long hair and attempted to move his left arm but noticed a weight on it. He looked to his side and smiled at the sleeping woman in his arms. He removed a stray strand from the pretty face and kissed the engagement ring the female wore.

"Shizuka," He spoke with his deep voice and softly shook the female. "Shizuka, wake up."

"Mmm… Ken-kun, what is it?" The female turned around, spooning herself onto his body. "I'm sleepy."

"I need to call my dentist. We'll miss the appointment."

"Oh. That was today?" Shizuka opened her eyes and turned around to hug him. "Will she allow you to adjust the time? Maybe just move it to another day?"

"I don't have any other free days. I do think Yazawa-san will allow it, if she doesn't have a schedule after me." He sat up from his bed and put his feet on the ground. He accidentally hit the side of the small table beside his bed, two glasses clang on it. He ignored the noise and took his phone from the table. "Hello, Yazawa-san?"

"_Yes? Who is this?"_

"It's Hoshizora."

"_Oh. What is it, Hoshizora-san?"_

Kenjiro looked at the clock. It was 1:08PM.

"I don't think I'll be able to make it on to our 3PM appointment." He said. "Is it okay if I ask to move it at a later time? Is 6PM okay?" He heard rummaging and papers being turned onto the phone and silently prayed.

"_Yeah. 6PM is fine."_

"Thanks! I will be there!"

* * *

"That was my last encounter with him." Shizuka, a long haired brunette wearing an all-white one piece dress clutched the cloth of her skirt on her lap. "I… I didn't expect…"

Nozomi frowned and walked over to her side and rubbed her back. She looked across the table, towards Eri who was typing all of her statements into a laptop.

"Do you know any friends? Anyone that could have a grudge on him?" Nozomi asked calmly.

"There's no one! He's a kind man! He never made enemies." Shizuka answered in distress. "Although… h- his best friend, Ichioji Kou-kun, might know someone."

"I'm sorry you have to tell us these." Eri pressed enter on the laptop to produce a new line. "His neighbors told us that he doesn't usually talk to them so they don't know a lot about him. Rin… Hoshizora only knew you because you're his fiancée. He's a very private person even to his family, ever since he started living alone six years ago. All of these are helpful."

"Please… can I go home now?" Shizuka sobbed into her hands, her shoulders moving up and down continuously. Nozomi rubbed her shoulders to relax her.

"Yes. If you…" Eri hesitated, but Nozomi looked at her and nodded. "If you remember anything, anything at all that could help us. Don't hesitate to call me." She gave her a calling card.

Tanba Shizuka nodded and immediately put the card in her purse. She looked behind her and tried her best to smile at Nozomi, who smiled back at her.

"I'll take her to the front door." Nozomi said and the two left the interrogation room.

Eri watched the laptop's letter cursor blink onto an empty line. She propped both of her elbows onto the table, then adjoined her hands together. She leaned her forehead on her hands and sighed.

* * *

Hanayo placed a cup of tea on Rin's table. "Kayo-chin. Thank you."

"Rin-chan... Why don't you take a break for a while?" Hanayo placed her hands onto her shoulder. "I'll take over."

"No, it's fine. I have nine lives!" She joked and put up both her hands in cat-like paws. Hanayo smiled at her and held onto those 'paws' with both of her hands.

"Even if you have like ten or twelve lives, you have to rest too." She told her with certainty. "Come on. Have a short break, or a nap. You won't be able to catch the suspect if we have to chase them." Against her will, she pulled Rin from in-front of the multi-playing camera footages from the day of her brother's death and sits her on a makeshift bed not far from the computer table.

"Ka- Kayo-chin…" Rin looked at her and tried to sneak a yawn. "Only 20 minutes then."

"I'll wake you!" Hanayo gave her a salute. She sat in front of the playing video tapes. They were a security camera that covered Kenjiro's side of the apartment. It caught all the activities of people going in and out of his house.

Hanayo fixed her eye glasses into place and stared blankly on the screen. After obtaining these security footages, around four to six in the afternoon, a mass black out occurred around the area, and it took the security company put back up the cameras after an hour.

It was a clincher, but they didn't think that something important might have happened during that time. It's been three days, and they still haven't seen anything important. It's always just Kenjiro, his fiancée, the landlady who enters his room.

* * *

Umi and Kotori walked two blocks from the victim's apartment. It was a comfortable silence they have. They've been staking out the location at night, and doing rounds in the morning. Although with the two of them dressed in formal outfits, they'd be looking like sellers than police officers.

The tone of a slow melody suddenly rang around them. Umi picked up her phone immediately. "Yes?"

"Umi, could you go to this address?" Eri spoke from the other line. Kotori looked at her wondering of what they're talking about. She couldn't see Umi writing in anything, but she only kept on nodding. Then she put down the phone, back to her pocket.

"Let's go back to the station." Umi told her with firmness and a hint of protectiveness.

"Eh? But we just started making roun—"

"It's fine." Umi smiled at her warmly. "Let's go."

* * *

Eri handed Kotori with a plastic bag with a paper cup inside it. "I got Tanba Shizuka's DNA in this cup. Please test it." Kotori nods and immediately leaves the room to start the research. "We've got intel of an Ichioji Kou. They've been friends for a long time. Hanayo already ran him on our database. He doesn't have any police records. He's eventually someone who usually helps people out in the streets."

Nozomi handed out papers to everyone. A sleepy Rin accepted the paper and nodded with a smile that she's going to be fine.

"It seems like no one has been able to get a hold of him recently. Did you find the victim's phone?" Eri asked Umi who shook her head.

"We even tried to search the nearby trash bins, just in case the perpetrator threw it away. I do have a hunch that they might have it instead." Umi answered with affirmation.

"We already tried contacting it but it's been turned off. We couldn't track it." Hanayo answered.

"Alright. Let's investigate Ichioji Kou for now." Eri said. All of them nodded at each other. She grabbed Nozomi's hand, and turned to look at her. "Stay here."

"But—"

"Please."

"Boo. Fine." Nozomi answered with a tongue out. "You owe me something."

Eri blushed and looked around, thankful that no one is around anymore. "I—uh—you can claim it at a later time." She tried to lean in for a kiss, but Nozomi covered her face with a hand.

"Go on." Nozomi told her calmly. "I know."

"Okay." Eri left the office and Nozomi sighed with a smile.

* * *

Eri, Umi, Rin and Hanayo looked up at the three storey building. The four of them split up into two groups with Umi and Eri going up to see if Ichioji Kou is in his room, while Hanayo and Rin stays at the ground surveying the surroundings.

Eri knocked onto the leasing office that was in the ground floor. The door opened and revealed a female of almost the same height with black hair. She looked like she's currently in her early forties.

The blonde female briefly fixed her necktie then took her police badge from a breast pocket, the female nodded in understanding. "We'd like to ask for Ichioji Kou-san's whereabouts." The attendant moved to one side, silently asking Umi and Eri to enter the room.

Rin looked to her left and to her right. Not too far from the downward side of the slope, there was a man walking. He was wearing a shabby blue jean jacket and his hair was all over the place. He seemed to be a little out of it, and his walking seemed like of a drunken man's. Out of concern, Rin tells Hanayo that she's going check out on the man to see if he needed any help.

"Sir, are you alright?" Rin asked with energy as to brighten this man's day if it things weren't going well. She smiled at him. "Would you need some assistance? You seem to be having troubles in walking."

The man who was previously boring holes at the ground, turned to slightly look at her. "…R- Rin…-chan?" He mentioned in almost a whisper. Rin looked at him questioningly.

"Um, do I know you?" She asked.

"K—" He looked far ahead onto the street and noticed the police cars. He then stared at Rin, his eyes widening.

"Rin-cha—" Hanayo walked over to them, the man's gazes moved towards her.

"Are you okay, S—" Rin looked at his face and recognized it. "K- Kou-nii—"

"I—I didn't mean it!" He suddenly shouted and ran the way he came from.

"Kou-nii!" Rin shouted after him. She took a step forward to run after him, but Hanayo quickly pulled her shirt. "Kayo-chi—"

"We need to call for back-up!" Hanayo told her with worry.

"He's getting away!"

"Rin-chan!" Hanayo tried to stop her but she was already running after him. She sighed and pressed the intercom button on her sleeves. "Calling for back-up. Officer Hoshizora is in pursuit."

Almost immediately a reply came in. "Roger. Block Route C. We'll be blocking route A and E."

Hanayo nodded and pinged in a "Roger!" Before running onto a different direction.

"Kou-nii!" Rin shouted, running about 100 meters behind her brother's best friend. "Kou-nii! Why are you running!?"

"I didn't do it! It wasn't me!" He shouted back, speeding up his running as if it was his second nature.

Rin continued running at her max speed, sweat trickling down her temples. She watched Kou turn at a corner. "Suspect turned into Route A." She spoke into the transmitter on her watch.

"_Roger." _It was Umi's voice.

Rin attempted to run faster, but her heavy coat was proving to be a nuisance. Without hesitation she removed her coat and threw it at the street corner and started to dash faster.

"_Hanayo, run through Route B."_ Eri spoke through the intercom, Hanayo replied with a 'Roger.'

* * *

Rin smiled as she started to see Kou's back again. She noticed that the next corner is going to be a highway. If he turns through the highway, it'll be harder to chase him with all the on-going cars than the skimpy neighborhood.

She brushed up her bangs from in front of her and started sprinting faster, her body forward. She unhooked the shackles from her belt together with the rest of her items such as a safety-locked pistol and spare bullets, letting them fall into the ground.

"KOU-NII!" Rin shouted as she kept on running closer and closer to his speed. She pushed her limit and ran even faster, almost about two or three steps behind him. "Stop! Kou-nii!"

"It's not me!" He shouted back at her.

"I said stop!" She shouted at him and took a gamble. She moved her body forward, and flung her arm towards his hand, perfectly tangling his wrist onto the open shackle she was holding. Feeling her legs gave out forward, she pushed the other part of the shackles towards the direction of a nearby thin pole. She silently prayed that it would lock with the thin pole. As if all of her energy were drained, she walked forward two or three steps and fell forward.

Umi immediately rushed to her and caught her right before she fell onto the ground. A loud clang rang around the neighborhood as the shackled pole pulled Ichioji Kou onto it hard because of the force and velocity of his running.

Eri came up to see him unconsciously lying nearby the pole, a red mark on his left wrist that bound itself with the thin pole. Not far from them Hanayo ran slowly towards them, with Rin's coat and gun holster in hand.

Umi fanned Rin with her hand, keeping her air flow consistent as she heaved and sighed on the cemented ground, half lying down on Umi's arms, with her lower body down on the ground.

"I might have… pulled a lot of muscle… nya…" Then she closed her eyes to rest.

"Good work." Blue eyes looked at her with worry. "You've been hanging in there, Rin."

* * *

Later in the evening after an appointment from the Dentist, Hoshizora Kenjiro walked in fright around his apartment's street. It seems like the whole district had gotten caught into a wide blackout due to a faulty wiring around the time he left for his dentist.

"Kenjiro." A husky voice from what seemed to be a light post called onto him. He jumped comically, doing a fighting stance at the darkness. "Ken, it's me."

"Oh, it was just you." Kenjiro breathed a sigh of relief and took out his phone from his pocket, lighting up their surroundings with his phone's flashlight. "'sup?"

"I was thinking, a little beer to my almost married best man?" He said while holding a few small bottles of whiskey. "Come on~ it's been long since we've drunk anything together."

"Well… you know that I'm a bad drunk. So just a little, alright?" Ken said with laughter. "Let's hope that we won't have to wait long for the electricity to go back." As if magic, the moment they stepped inside his apartment, the power went back on conveniently.

A few bottles later, Kenjiro laughed as he downed a half-glass of whiskey and slammed it down his tiny table sounding like it would break.

"Hey man, calm down from the drinking." Ichioji Kou rubbed his back. "I thought you wouldn't get drunk."

"I felt like I needed that." Ken said drunkenly. "There are just times when I can't take Shizuka you know? She can be really bossy, and sometimes she has these tendencies to flirt with men. What a bitch, that one! Haha!"

Kou looked at him with a leer. He had always loved Shizuka. Way before they; he and Kenjiro, even met. But here he is, sitting one-sidedly in love with his best friend's fiancée. Then he calls her 'Bitch' in front of him?

"Oh, man. I'm really sorry." Kenjiro laughed. "I'm not drunk don't worry. I'm a little sober." He said then poured a little more whiskey in his glass. "Man, I'm really sorry."

"Haha! No worries! What are you sorry for?"

"I stole her away from you." Kenjiro spoke. "I was… really jealous of you two."

"… What?"

"I didn't mean to, you know. That she really did fell in love with me." Kenjiro answered then laughed. "I was playing around back then."

"You _played_ around?" Kou leered at him. "You _played around with Shizuka_?" He asked with a deep voice.

"I _used_ to!" Kenjiro defended. "I don't know. I genuinely love her now, man."

Without a second thought, Kou picked up the rope he had bought earlier to fix his clothes hanger, and angrily wrapped them around Kenjiro's neck.

"I loved her, Ken." He told him. "I loved her with all my heart. All these years. I couldn't let go of her, but I accepted the fact that the one she loved was you, but what did you do? You stole her. You _stole her _and _played with her._"

"K- Kou—I said it was in the pas—"

"That's painful for me, you know?" Kou told him, his grip with the ropes tangled around Kenjiro's neck tightening. "I would never do that to her. I would _**never!**_"

* * *

Ichioji Kou cried as he admitted to his sins inside the questioning room. Rin calmly typed each word he said as she and Nozomi sat across him.

"I didn't mean to kill him! It was all… it was all pent up anger!" Kou said and shed more tears. "He's my best friend! I have his back… and he has mine… what have I done…" He clasped his hands together and leaned his forehead onto it, propping his elbows onto the table. "I'm so sorry… Kenjiro…"

He lifted his head and looked at Rin who refused to look at him.

"I'm so sorry, Rin-chan…"

Nozomi turned around behind her and looked at the non-reflective glass. She knew behind those glass were Eri, Umi and Hanayo who had been recording the whole conversation. As if spiritually making eye contact with her favorite pair of blue eyes, she pointed towards the door as if silently telling her to go out.

From behind the glass, Eri tapped Umi's shoulder and the two of them went outside the room. Through the glass, Hanayo could see Nozomi tapping Rin to come with her outside.

"Umi, please go inside to guard the suspect." Eri told her. Umi nodded in affirmation and went inside the door Nozomi and Rin had just exited.

Rin looked at the ground as if it was its sole savior in this whole ordeal. Nozomi looked at Eri who only smiled at her wryly.

"Hoshizora. You've done well." Eri told Rin and patted her head. "You can go… and watch him rest now."

Rin closed her fists tightly, she then sobbed, unable to control her tears. Eri looked at her as if she didn't know how to deal with a crying lady. Nozomi looked at her and smiled.

Eri immediately wrapped an arm around Rin, and let her cry onto her shoulder. While Eri searched for Nozomi's hand and held it tightly.

The hallways were silent, except for the sole sobbing of a younger sister.

…Crying in peace and justice for her dearly beloved brother…

(And Then Open Your Hands/END – Rin Arc – END)

A/N: 10/10 sorry for the delay! I've closed Rin's arc! I have a lot of Rin feels right now. ;_; Everyone let's hug her. Papa-chika is the best. Also, I purposely didn't put the preview for the next chapter here because I didn't notice hitting 3k word mark oops.


	5. x04x - A Love Arrow Shot

On A Standstill – x04x– A Love Arrow Shot.

A/N: I do apologize if I can't keep up with my promised weekly updates *cries*. Work isn't friendly lately, but here's a new sexy chapter for you brush there. It might be shorter than usual, but well that's normal.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my original character. Sunrise, Cross Ange better be great.**

P.S. You guys should read chapter titles. =3

_**Also, warning for M Content below, until the next page break. If you're not comfortable with such things skip to the next page break. It's not story related anyway. LOL**_

* * *

The wind blew through the vast green grass. The clear skies showing the soft sun from behind a couple of clouds, the mixture of the temperature was comforting. Soon the moon would peek out from the other side and it would be evening.

Rin kneeled onto the flower filled freshly covered tombstone under a tent. Hanayo slouched beside her, a hand comforting the short haired female's shoulder. Eri held onto her long untied blonde hair and tapped Hanayo's shoulder.

"We need to go now." She told the glasses bearing female who nodded at her. As if a silent conversation that she'll tell Rin for her. Eri nodded and walked towards a nearby tree where Kotori, Umi and Nozomi were chatting.

"Ericchi." Nozomi welcomed her into the group, putting a hand on her arm. "Are we going now?" The blonde female nodded and regarded Kotori and Umi.

"See you guys tomorrow." They bid goodbye to each other and Nozomi and Eri went for the investigator's car to get some well awaited rest.

It was early in the evening and the high-way wasn't too crowded around the time. Blue eyes looked at her rear view mirror, then accidentally glanced over to Nozomi's chair almost losing all her focus. The normally up to knee skirt was slowly riding up to her thighs, with no intentions of fixing it.

Green eyes stared outside the window. As if achieving her goal, she looked to her side through her peripheral vision and silently smiled when Eri grabbed the wheel with both hands after moving her tie left and right.

"_Oh my." _She thought playfully and smiled. Eri looked at her and blushed, fixing her necktie again after looking back onto the road. _"_Ericchi."

"Ye- Yes!?" Eri answered tensely, quickly straightening up on her chair.

"Nothing." Nozomi smiled at her then crossed her legs, hiking up her skirt higher her thigh.

"R- Right. Alright." Eri nodded and put both of her hands onto the upper part of the steering wheel.

"_She's nervous. So cute."_ Nozomi smiled then looked out the window again.

Not a long while after, Eri parked the car in front of a two-floor home that looked western. Nozomi came out of the car first and headed for the door, while she fished for her house keys inside her purse. Eri walked behind her like a fox after its prey and smoothly removed the hair ties holding the violet locks in its low twintail form.

She laid the hair onto Nozomi's back and quietly wrapped her arms around Nozomi's waist, completely pressing the length of her upper body onto the green eyed female's back. Eri leaned her jaw onto the side of Nozomi's face and sniffed her scent.

"Already getting started on the door?" Nozomi asked, slightly leaning her weight onto Eri's body.

"Just so I can say that I reached all the way… from the door." Eri spoke into Nozomi's ear briefly tickling the female as she leaned away.

After finally finding her keys, Nozomi opened the door and quickly went inside dragging Eri in with her. The blonde female tried to pin her by the wall but she escaped by slightly pushing her and running towards the stairs.

Eri sighed as she watched Nozomi disappear into probably her room. She removed her shoes and locked the doors, making sure that the house was secured before prowling up to the upper floor.

A hand turned the knob sideways and opened the door. Blue eyes tried to blink through the dark barely see anything. Her hand reached for the light switch only to find another hand already there. She tried to make out Nozomi's figure from the dark, but Eri opened her eyes when her body got jerked downward via her tie and lips came crashing onto hers.

Succumbing into the deep kiss, Eri's hand left the light switch and placed it onto Nozomi's neck while the other moved around her hips expertly unhooking the pencil skirt. At the same time that the skirt fell onto the ground, so did her slacks.

Nozomi broke the kiss and pulled on to Eri's tie. She sat onto the foot of the bed and pulled the blonde female to sit onto her thighs.

Blue eyes stared into passionate green ones. Eri was about to open her mouth to talk as she sat open legged onto Nozomi, a tongue immediately seized her mouth followed by dexterous hands removing her coat and tie, while slowly unbuttoning her blouse.

"Hey—"

"Quiet." Nozomi spoke onto her collarbone. Violet hair backed away from Eri's chest, then green met blue with a playful twinkle.

"Wh- What?" Eri blinked both her hands on Nozomi's shoulders for balance. Green eyes winked at her, then that's the last of the light that Eri saw. "Nozomi?"

Nozomi smiled at her perfect work of tying Eri's necktie over her eyes. She then inhaled deeply before working kisses around Eri's neck. She opened the white blouse and pulled it behind the blonde, briefly tying the loosened sleeves around her wrists to prevent her from moving her arms for a while.

"Nozo—" Eri was about to take her attention but she suddenly felt getting taken along as Nozomi moved backward and leaned herself onto the middle of the bed, making Eri kneel right between her head. "Are you ser—"

Mischievous green eyes immediately eyed the prize that was easily presented onto her face. She lifted up Eri's hips to be able to see it clearly. She moved the lacy black underwear onto the side and inhaled and softly exhaled. Eri yelped in surprise as her sensitive spot got attacked the softest way possible she didn't expect.

Before being able to prepare for it, a warm tongue had slipped through the folds of her skin, playing, dancing along Eri's contours. Without letting up with it, Nozomi continued to attack a sensitive nub, without really touching all the necessary parts. Eri inhaled deeply and exhaled as her back started to get goose bumps. She tried to move her hands but she felt like her energy was being drained from her, her senses focusing only to that one spot.

"Nozomi…"

"It's a waterfall in here, _Eri._" Nozomi spoke from under her, slightly tickling her, suddenly inserting her tongue inside, circling, and going in and out. She heard her beloved blonde take a quick inhale then exhale right away.

She spread her open with one hand and without further ado; one digit was pushed inside with the other hand. Eri moaned audibly, leaning her head forward. Nozomi searched for the bundled clothes in Eri's wrists and tugged on it.

Eri immediately responded to it and grabbed whatever hand she could feel and squeezed on it. She straightened her body, leaning a little backward to give Nozomi more access into her. Softly another digit went inside her, spreading her insides open.

Nozomi looked up to Eri's sweating body and decided to push her hand in and out, bringing her over the edge without fail. Mischievous green eyes smiled at her work of art and removed herself from under Eri, helping the blonde free from her weakened state and remove the blindfold.

Eri immediately leaned her back onto Nozomi, breathing heavily. Blue eyes opened to the little light that was creeping into the room from the moonlight. She turned her head sideways and leaned her head onto Nozomi's still clothed breasts. "You're mean."

"This is payback for the office." Nozomi smiled at her then kissed her nose.

"I said I was sorry."

"And I said no apologies." Nozomi winked at her then dove in to kiss her, as the night continued.

* * *

Blue eyes opened and stretched. She looked to her side and saw Nozomi curled under the bed sheets like a cat. She looked around and checked her phone. It seems like Umi had sent her a message that she was needed in the station this morning instead of in the afternoon.

She stretched and sat onto the side of the bed. "…My whole body aches." She turned to look at Nozomi and touched her face. "…This tigress…" She silently laughed and stood up from the bed. She took her necklace and put in on, as she gathered the rest of her clothes from the ground.

She opened Nozomi's closet and pulled at the underwear drawer. "As lacy as ever, Nozomi." She picked one that didn't have too many laces and put it on. She tucked in her white blouse inside her slack and put on her coat, purposely leaving her necktie. She softly kissed Nozomi's forehead then made her way down the stairs to write a note on the fridge. She locked the door and walked towards her car.

She glanced at her wristwatch that read 10minutes to four in the morning. It was still a little dark. She took out her phone to switch on the on-screen light and check for the keys of her car in her chain. She looked at the ground and noticed a red laser light traveling from her hand to around her chest.

Shocked blue eyes looked at the direction of the light but before she could dodge in time, she was knocked back onto the ground. She coughed and covered her eyes as the sun started to rise. She watched the sniper leave from its position a few buildings away… then everything was dark.

* * *

Arms crossed over a chest, covering the name tag on the blue outfit. "Are you sure you're okay now, Ayase?"

"Yeah. Sorry about this everyone." Eri started buttoning her fresh blouse from the headquarter's locker room. She patted her left chest and winced in pain. "Only a few ribs broken, thankfully." She sat onto the edge of the hospital bed and laughed softly.

"I don't think I should be thankful, you could have died there, Eri-chan." Honoka spoke from a monoblock not far away.

"I guess I was really lucky." Eri looked at the bed side table and sighed. "Umi, could you get this report to the HQ? I'll be there later. Since Kotori's here take her with you so you can report the findings as well."

Umi nodded and looked at Kotori who smiled at her.

A plastic was handed to Umi that contained a bullet. "It was a 5mm bullet. It didn't have gunpowder in it, but it was definitely fired with a Sniper Rifle. Since it was customized bullet, I'm not able to identify the gun used." Honoka nodded at the report.

Suddenly, the door to the small hospital room opened and Hanayo came inside. "We have trouble!" Before she could continue her sentence she stepped back towards the hall with Rin and a messy bundle of violet hair blocked the door way.

Hair was barely tied to anything, awkward strands in different directions, a fixed pencil skirt, a half-buttoned violet blouse, and she wore a labcoat.

Blue eyes widened in surprise at the person on her door way. She swallowed as the ball of violet came flying towards her. She caught Nozomi who completely sat on her lap straddling her, both knees onto the bed and arms wrapped around her neck.

Eri sighed and wrapped her arms around Nozomi's waist. "Thanks, Tsubasa. Also, Eri for you, quit it with the Ayase."

"Whatever." Tsubasa turned around and picked up Honoka by the shirt collar. "Ayase." She stuck a tongue out and went out the door.

"Erichi! What happened!?" Nozomi looked at her, tears streaming down her eyes. "I just heard the girls gossiping by door of my office 'I heard Ayase-san got shot,' why didn't I know this!?"

Umi sighed. "Everyone out." She instructed everyone in the room to go outside and closed the door.

Eri silently thanked her and grabbed Nozomi's face with both hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you. I was on my way to see you."

"Don't say sorry to me! I want you as a whole! I should've been the first to be notified of this! Why was I last to know!?" Nozomi shouted at her, worried green eyes not even making contact with frantic blue ones. "Erichi…" She sobbed, grabbing Eri's blouse with both hands.

"I'm sorry. It was… I was really lucky." Eri kissed her nose, and moved away the strands of hair on her face. "Although Tsubasa said that it couldn't have been fatal even if it DID hit me, I was still lucky." She grabbed the necklace from the stand and showed it to Nozomi.

"This… this was the one I gave you, right? You were wearing it yesterday." Nozomi said and looked at her.

"Yeah." Eri answered with affirmation and hugged Nozomi, pressing her face onto her neck. "It saved me. I'm so sorry it's ruined now, but because I religiously wear it every day that it saved me."

"You kept on telling me this before, but it's my turn to tell you this now, Ericchi this job is danger—"

"I know. But the location of the shooting was in front of your house. It could have been you. And now I'm just more worried." Eri brushed Nozomi's hair to one ear, and kissed her jaw.

"What do you mea—"

"Live with me."

* * *

Umi closed her eyes and concentrated. _"It was… most likely a Whitworth Rifle… and shot at approximately 1,500yards to 2,000 yards." _She opened her eyes and stared at the circular target about 3,000 yards away from her. _"A 5mm customized bullet…"_

"Umi-chan?" Kotori's voice rang around the Archery Range, and Umi immediately stood up from her seiza position.

"K- Kotori! What are you doing here?" She walked towards her.

"Oh, you left in a hurry, as if something was weighing you down, so I looked for you." Kotori answered with a warm smile.

"H- How did you know you'll find me here?" Umi asked and scratched her head.

"Geez, how long have we known each other?" Kotori answered and blushed. "A- Anyway, you can talk to me if you have any problems."

"Ah, I- I will. Thanks. Kotori." Umi answered and watched her leave. She sighed and looked at the range of multiple arrow targets.

"_Am I going to go through this again…? Kaimu… is this you?"_

(A Love Arrow Shot/END)

A/N: Well, that was it! What a heavy burden of sex and OTP just to set up this arc's next case. LOL So I suppose everyone knows who will be the focus next? *wink wink* I wonder if Nico and Maki would appear at all… hmmm~


End file.
